This invention relates to pipe stands used in oil and gas field applications such as, but not limited pipe stands used in meter skids, control valve skids, fuel gas skids, and pig launcher or receiver skids which are transported to a field site and permit the meter, control valve, fuel gas, or launcher and receiver components contained on the skid to be aligned with and connected to other pipeline or piping components of the field site.
Prior art pipe stands are either not designed for use on a skid or place the skidded equipment at a fixed position or, if adjustable, not designed to support lateral loads during transport of the skidded equipment. These prior art adjustable pipe stands require multiple bolts or nuts to be repeatedly and equally turned in order to raise or lower the stand to a desired height. During transport, the nuts vibrate and loosen, causing the stand's central stud to rattle in its vertical support or guide tube and move side to side. The clearance between the stud and the tube determines the amount of lateral movement of the stand.
Still other stands, even if adjustable, are limited in the amount of vertical adjustment because of U-shaped heads or saddles that must be oriented in line with the pipe or because of U-bolts which must be inserted into pre-positioned bolt holes of the head which, when the stand is at the right vertical height, might not be in the correct position relative to pipe alignment. Last, none of the prior art stands permit a bottom view inspection of the portion of the pipe resting on the stand by rotation of the top plate.